What is marathon pace, and how does it relate to threshold?
Marathon pace is the effort you intend to race at — below threshold for everyone, but by very different margins depending on how long you will be running.
Marathon pace is defined by your goal, not by a physiological landmark, which makes it unusual among training paces. Its relationship to threshold depends on how long you are out there: a runner finishing in 2:30 races at close to their LT2, while a runner finishing in 5:30 races at something much nearer LT1, because they have to sustain it more than twice as long.
That difference matters for how marathon-pace training feels. For a fast runner, marathon-pace work is genuinely demanding and needs recovery. For a slower runner it sits close to a steady aerobic effort and can be layered into long runs relatively cheaply. A plan that treats "marathon pace session" as one thing for everyone is quietly asking for different amounts of work from different people.
The practical test of whether your goal pace is realistic is whether it feels almost too easy in the first twenty minutes of a marathon-pace session. If goal pace feels like work from the start of a training session, it will be unmanageable at 30 km with fatigue and fuelling pressure added.
Race-pace specificity is the reason marathon-pace work dominates the peak phase: it rehearses the exact effort, the fuelling that goes with it, and the mechanics of holding it while tired.
Key numbers
| Fast runners | just below LT2 | 2:30–3:00 finishers |
|---|---|---|
| Slower runners | nearer LT1 | 5:00+ finishers |
Work it out for yourself
Workout generator — Build marathon-pace sessions anchored to your own goal time.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know my marathon pace if I have never run one?
Convert a recent shorter race with a power-law model such as Riegel: a half marathon is the most informative single input, and a 10 km will do. Then subtract a little confidence — first marathons almost always go better paced conservatively.
Should marathon-pace runs be done on race-like terrain?
Where possible, yes. If your race has hills, doing marathon-pace work on flat ground teaches your legs the wrong thing. Grade-adjusted pace lets you hold the right effort on a hilly route while still hitting the target intensity.
Sources
- Daniels (2014). Daniels' Running Formula, 3rd edition.
- Casado et al. (2022). Training periodization, methods, intensity distribution, and volume in highly trained distance runners. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance.
Related explainers
Glossary: LT2 (Lactate Threshold 2)